UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS



SYSTEM

of Teaching PhD Students

in University оf Cyprus

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES:

According to the Bologna Declaration, higher education in Bulgaria is three-tier, with the respective educational degrees being "Bachelor", "Master" and "Doctor". The doctoral degree (PhD) is both educational and scientific.

The department of Computer Science offers a Graduate Degree program that leads to a PhD in Computer Science. The program is published at the Department’s Guidebook. The Graduate Program Committee coordinates the program based on the General Rules of the University of Cyprus.

SCIENTIFIC SPECIALITIES:

There is a classification of scientific specialities for scientific workers, within which doctoral students can study. In the area of Computing they are:

|Code |Scientific speciality |

|01.01.12. |Informatics (including mathematics, computer architectures, operating systems and systems programming, |

| |data and knowledge bases and management systems for them, artificial intelligence, informational |

| |modelling, cybernetics) |

|02.21.03. |Systems programming |

|02.21.04. |Computer systems, complexes and networks |

|02.21.05. |Artificial intelligence systems |

|02.21.10. |Application of cybernetic principles and methods to different areas of science (technical, medical, bio |

| |cybernetics, legislation, etc.) |

ADMISSION OF DOCTORAL STUDENTS:

I.

1. The department announces once a year the maximum number of graduate students it can accept for the upcoming academic year starting in September. Applications arrived after the submission deadlines are accepted only in case the number of graduate students is not met.

2. The applicants must submit an application, a CV, official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, a personal statement about his goals and interests, and two letters of recommendations (possibly by faculty members of their college or university, mailed directly to the department). It is not necessary for the applicant to hold an undergrad or college degree at the time he submits his application. However, the applicant must get / have a degree in Computer Science or related field of study before he joins the graduate program. The average grade (GPA) of the applicant should be 6.5/10 (or equivalent to that) and the degree should be from an accredited college / university (as it is defined by the General Rules of University of Cyprus).

3. Applications are examined by the Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Program Committee holds the right, based on its judgment, to call the applicant for personal interview or ask more details. The Graduate Program Committee writes down an evaluation and admission report and submits it to the Department Council for approval. The Department Council holds the right to accept fewer students than it had announced. The department submits (for information) its report to the school it belongs.

II. The department assigns an Academic Advisor to every new graduate student. To a PhD student the department assigns a Research Advisor. The Research Advisor is assigned by the Department Council, after suggestion of the Graduate Program Committee, and an agreement between the student and a faculty member. The Research Advisor watches over the research or any other work of the student and provides any necessary guidance.

III. For students whose undergraduate degree was not related to Computer Science there is a possibility to be asked to take some undergraduate courses offered by the department. The student must pass these undergraduate courses in order to continue the graduate program.

TRAINING:

I. The basic requirements to get a PhD Degree are:

1. (a) Successful completion of at least 30 course units of graduate level courses. A student with a Master or equivalent degree is partially or fully exempt from this requirement.

(b) Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination which must be taken no later than the fifth semester of his/her studies. The student submits to the department a request to take the Comprehensive Examination.

2. The Department assigns a Research Advisor to the student that has completed the course units mentioned above.

3. The structure and the subjects of the Comprehensive Examination are decided by the Department. The Comprehensive Examination is general and attempts to measure the student ability to complete the degree. The topics that are examined are Theory, Software, Hardware, and Applications.

4. The Comprehensive Examination is given on the second half of September and February. The Comprehensive Examination Committee, which is elected by the Department Council, is in charge of the examination. Topics for the examination paper are suggested by any faculty member of the department. The Comprehensive Examination Committee prepares and submits to the department the examination paper at least one week before the examination day.

5. The Comprehensive Examination Committee submits for approval to the department a list of those students that succeeded in the examination.

6. A student that fails to pass the first comprehensive examination must take the examination the next time it is offered. A second fail of the student in the Comprehensive Examination disqualifies the student from the PhD program of the department.

I.

1. The Research Advisor asks the Graduate Program Committee to appoint a three members Research Committee for the candidate PhD student. The head of the Research Committee is the Research Advisor of the student. At most, a member of the Research Committee can possibly be faculty member of other department.

2. The student is allowed to change his Research Advisor. He must submit for approval by the Department Council a request explaining the reasons he needs to change advisor.

II.

1. When the student has passed the Comprehensive Examination he submits a written Doctoral Thesis Proposal to his Research Committee. The proposal is also presented before the Committee members.

2. The Research Committee must examine the Doctoral Thesis Proposal before the end of the next semester. The proposal might be accepted or recommended for resubmission. The final acceptance of the proposal must be given before the start of the seventh year of the student study time. Otherwise, the student case (whether to continue or to terminate his PhD candidacy) is discussed at the Department Council.

III. The student hands over to the Research Advisor a yearly progress report. The Research Advisor delivers this report to the Graduate Program Committee for its information.

DEFENCE:

I.

1. Every candidate PhD student completes a Dissertation which must be an original and important contribution to the field of study.

2. The written format of the Dissertation is described in the Department’s printed forms. The Dissertation can be submitted no sooner than four semesters before student’s admission and completing successfully his Comprehensive Examination.

3. The student submits to the department six (6) copies of the Dissertation and a request (signed also by his Research Advisor) for creation of a Dissertation Examination Committee. After this procedure, the graduate Program Committee, with suggestion of the Research Advisor, appoints an Examination Committee (based on the rules of University’s Senate). The Graduate Program Committee sends also a copy of the dissertation to the members of the Examination Committee. The dissertation is defended by the candidate before the Examination Committee. Note that the three faculty members of the Department usually are the three members of the Research Committee of the candidate.

4. The head of the Examination Committee decides the date of Dissertation Defense. The Defense must be done within three months from its submission day and in the full presence of the Examination Committee members. The defense procedure is based on the rules of the University’s Senate.

5. The approval of at least four members of the Examination Committee is required to award the degree. In this case, the Examination Committee keeps the right to ask changes or additions which, according to its judgment, are necessary. The procedure for verification of changes or additions is decided by the Examination Committee and is written in the Evaluation Report.

6. The Examination Committee hands over to the Department Chair a written Evaluation Report of the Dissertation, and of the Doctoral Candidate in general, together with its suggestion, in a printed form of the department. The Chair verifies that all the rules and procedures are followed and hands in the report to the Senate.

II. A maximum of eight (8) academic years are allowed for the completion of the Doctoral Program.

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